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t
THE BURLINGTON FREE PRESS.
was Bbltlnd thrn and there. Tlen-m paid
n hundred dollars, and Sohonborg, 1 tun
told, liud to pay tho lawyer whom ho
had employed, f often nhiuk, though,
how hard would havo b ten tho young
fellow's fa to if thero hud been no ono to
com a to the rescue. Thero isn't a bettor
or braver officer i:i the K'toventh today
than lieani, and ho i t just as steady as
u rook; hut soldiers as good as his have
been driven nnt of tho nriay for lack of
some .inch friend as camo to him in lua
eil remit V."
"You inld have helped him, Fred j
d-ir,"- i.. I
over to t' ''
grizzl 1
thoi: '..
Worh . I -1
soft w! , . 1
hor s'iai ' -
'I wot-, '
rone out ot
to help, e
w" A lo't 1.
j. lane, fonillv, crossing
i 't.wi and stroking tho
a'.vmt hi3 brows as
, toe 1,-Tcliost hair in tho
v. H.sil Idmsclf of tho
i , ,ii d tlimw hisarm about
hvl I known, but
i i1 m 1: i; ;jon to bo ablo
i. ,,..o'.i on inclinations
A r 1 than, hovrovor much
uiovod in it irn's ct ry and Scbou
s rt; v.tltty, who could prove it?"
' 'l'od.-l prove it?" uke,l Mi?i Mar-
". al a p '. i- '.
fe11. l! on ' .1:: 1 1 know of. All we
, i th.it S b mberg was glad to drop
b
t'r
1
matter thv vera- ago when. Copt.
-lins first tackled tho cfv. Hcurn
he ha.; never ullutit I to i '-om that
to tliu v. 11 tho iVl'ov'.i biug'iagj
.y; Int (Ira was or.! p mo a ague
. knn throat.
'hit- if, on the contrary, it should
e tlvit, ho mant to make more tron
'. Air. Hearn," asked Miss Marshall,
'apt. Rawlins here?"
"y .b.vc!" exclaimed tho captain,
ing i i.duenly tj his foot, his face
ving ai suddenly grave and sad,
t porsibly explains t he lot ter thai
' to mo yesterday morning f was
ii:ig i!" an you camo down to break--i
low, anonymous thing, and i
i-d it. Now I wish J had kept that."
roj
i .
1
" Vi uiit Mr. IIp-u'u, was it'" asked
Mr Lano ansioutly.
t'es; and now 1 can begin to uudcr-(-'
r lit, too. iliart Marshall," said he,
tur iug impressively toward her, 'your
oik lion goes to thjvery lKjttom of this
o Tho friend who blocked their
ga:i o thno years ago ;s gor.o: Uawlins
v .i- lulled in tho last campaign in Ari-
20!. ."
"Oh, Fred!" cried Mrs. Lano. "And
was there no ono elso who had helped
Tir. lleaniV"
"Kooiio but our old Kawlius, Mabel:
iiuJ of all men to help him nowha would
havo been the most valuable here with
our row clone'.. I'.r 1m t.:id Morris had
boon
,-o?edandiutim?W"noudsiTiwnr'
d ivs, aud I Miitoliltheoolono was deeply
c it up by 1 ho news ol Rawlins' death. I
'ibrro was something romantic about j
tin ir earl friendslap. ('apt. Rawlins
was a widower wln.voo vifo had died'
wiUiiu a few yearn of her marriage, ami '
I have heurd that both ho aud Morris ,
when young officer.! were in Iovh with
her, but that bho had chosen Rawlins." ,
"But, Capt. Lano," raid Miss Marshal,
whobo thoughts scorned less fixed upon
tho romantic than upon the pracicd
irido of tho cas3, "luwIv Sir. Ilearn lias ,
receipts in full tor this araoon'u" j
"I so uudorstood him. Miss Marshall;
and yet I do not lrnow tho nature of the j
papers to whioh ho refers. I ttiiuk he i
baid that ho had her letter; but thr.tisof j
less value now."
"And why?" asked Miss Marshall.
"Uecauso the widow married Schon
berg." " 'Then must the Jew be merciful,' "
quoted luisu Marshall
And for a few moments not another '
word was Gpokcn. It was that young
buly herself T7ko broko the rilence:
"Perhaps you think mo uiuln'.y appre
hensive, Capt. Lano. That man's face
made a powerful impression upon mo
when I saw him today, und perhaps M;i
b"i has told you something of my own
exi;ricuco in trying to retrieve my fa
ther's fallen fortunes when ho was too
old and broken to do anything for him
si If. I learned then tho worthlessness
ot spoken words, and that nothiug but
written contracts and icceipts wero bind-
Sho had hardly ceased irpealring whon
the gato Y.1S heard to-owing on its rusty
hinges, a resolute stop croaked across tho
pia;:::a, and somebody was fumbling at
tho boll knob.
"Who can that be at this hour of tho
night?" asked Mrts. Lane, as the captain
went to tho door. The liolta wero drawn
back and a rush of cold night wind
pwopt iu, causing the lamps to suddenly
flans and smoke.
"Please, sir, is tho doctor here?' n
voice was heard to oak.
"No," answered Lano. "What's want
ed? Ho left hero about twenty minutes
a ;o. Have yon bein to hu quarters?"
"Yea, Eir; and thoytold 1110 ho was
h, ,r, at Capt. Lane's. Corp. Brent is
took worse, sir, nnd tho rtcward thinks
tho doctor ought to se.o him. He's wild
l.ko and raving."
"Mrbel dear, I'll bo back in a mo
ment," said Lane, reappearing at tho
j-.rlordoor. "Don't wait for me: I'm
g itng to B03 if tho doctor is at Hoarn's.
'j boy went away together. Corp. Rront
i. reported woree."
Throwing hia cavalry "circular" over
1 h bhouldors Lano cteppad forth into
tho ni;;ht. It wa3 moonless and pitchy
('.irk. The lamps around tho quad
rangle wero burning brightly, but hard
ly Mifficed to illumino mow than a
small sphero in the Burroundiug gloom.
Acrosa tho wido valley a distant ruddy
tpark bhowed whero uomo farm homo
r.revid was still alive; und far away to
tho westward tho eloctvio lights, swing
ing higli over tho thoroughfares of tho
thriving town, nliono with keen, cold
luster, and woro mirrored in somo deep,
unrufllod pool of tho fitroum. Turning
Ids back oa theso tho captain trudged
briskly down tho walk, the hospital at
tendant following, aud openod the littlo
gate eomo fifty yards from his own. As
ho surmised, tho doctor waa here, for his
voio, and Kenyon'a, too, could be heard
beforo Lano topped at tho dour.
'Como in," shouted Hoarn in answer
(o tho signal, and tho captain oriterotl.
"You aro a.kol for at tho hospital,
doctor. Thoy say Rrcnt iu delirious."
At tJiifltha iiiedical manjlroppedtlic
cigar ho had hut half smoked'and loft
tho room. Lano was for going witli
him, hut Ileum beggod him to play:
"No timolilto the present, captain, and
I want you to sett tho pupsrs in tho cele
brated raso of Draino vs. lloarn while
Maj. Kenyon is here. I'll beg Mrs. I
Lano'rf pardon in tho morning, and not
detain you mow than a minute."
Standing againrst tho wall in tho midst
of what had boen old Dlauvelt'a sitting
room waa a plain wooden tablo with a
pigeonholed desk upon it, tho lid of
whjch, turned down, mado tho writing
shelf. In tho pigeonholes wero numer
ous folded papers, well filled envelopes,
packages of tobacco, a brier root pipe, a
puir of shoulderstraps, nsveral pairs of
gloves, somo llshing tackln, eomo carto-do-visito
uized photographs, a damaged
Enbcrknot and tho iinvitablo accumula
tion of odds and ends with which a
snbaltcm'a field deal: ia apt to bo lit
tered. But tho pigeonholes had been
nnito systematically labeled. Thero
were compartments bearing tho legends
"lottors unanswered," "letters an
swered," "personals," "bills paid," "bills
unpaid" (both impartially occupied),
"pay accounts," "maps," "flpld notes,"
etc.
"I never knew tho necessity of having
Konio tort of system about theso mutters
until after tho experience I havo been
t il.ng you of, captain, and I am in
it "bti 'i to dear old liawiins for it. You
n'vcr mot him, did you, Ma,j. RpnyonV"
"Ko, except .iust for a mnmont, in tho
Shenandoah valley during tho war. lla
was commanding his regiment then."
"Yp", and lived to bo shot down in
o. Id blood by a l .t of ambuscading
Apioli"' lK-irly a quarter of a century
at'.,-r, and nothing but a captain of cav-al.-v."
"ITo had somo littlo property herein
town at rno time," said Kenyon. "That
was nearly ten years ago though, and it
w. nt a a t-aorific, I'm told. IVrhaps it
w.'M while ho was a local taxpayer that
ho rot to know yonr Hebrew friend of
today."
"Ho never told mo what lie knew of
him, beyond tho mere tact that ho was
dishonest and a boni mischief maker.
Hut tho moment he took that cave up
for me Schonberg dmppr-1 it. I-'orsoniu
reason tho Jew w.i- aCr'id of tho old
man, as even ono called Itawlnis."
I Team was tuning ov(
as h' spok" a pivk i"o at :
in hi.A hand '
led papers !
hold together by phytic v.iaps. Remov
ing tho uppr band, ho b gan looking
over tho docketing at tho top of each
paper.
"Kawlins himO.f indorsed this par-
Ocular packet for mo
nnd showed mo )
"he said. "I'VO I
how it should b, d.'no.
often thought that if wp could drop ont
,r 4.1. -. 1
a little slice of tho malhomatieal course
at the Point, and have some coaching in
this sort of thing, how mnch bettor
lilted wo should bo for tho every day
duties of life. Now. I Why, this
is odd. I certainly had those papers in
this very packet not three weeks ago. 1
saw thPEi the day I moved in here I
ivinembor overhauling this very desk at
the time."
Nervously ho ran through tho packago
again, his flug'-rs rap-idly turning tho
foldod pages, his faco paling with srfd
lion apprehension.
"Thero wa.i a letter here from Capt.
Rawlin3, two receipts of KOionberg's
and tho letter from Mrs. Rraine, all
bundled up together, atid tho indorse
ment of each iu Rawlins' handwriting."
Then ho throw down the picket and
began pulling out tho papers iu other
P'geonuoiea, Ken von and Jane standing
silently by,
Iu vain ho searched. Not
vestige of tbo desired proofs could bo
found. It waa with a white faco and
ey.vs that wero full of trouble that he
tin .i"d upon his seniors:
"My God! those papers are gone!"
"Look in you-r trunk, man," said Lnno
kindlv; "don't give up yet;" while Ken
yon himself begun a search on his own
account in tho now disordered desk.
"Was this always kept locked when
- y t at out, i.otrii. asset! 1110 major.
ourciy such miporiani. paprrs ougm, nut 1
to bo left lving around hxj:,
"Lccked? Yes. A least I never waa
away tor any tituo without locking it.
Sometimes, ,iust going out to receive
reports at roll call, I would not lock up;
for who would want to 1 oh a poor fel
low of papers of no valuo to any ono but
the owner?"
The major looknd grave. Lane's faco
was full of anxiety, which ho hardly
knew how to conceal. Both well knew
tho nhnos-'t universally careless habits of 1
tho bactielor oflicor.s in garrison. Their j
doors are never looked; their rooms aro ;
empty half tho time, and their pocket-
uoots empty owmaruy as tucir rooms;
their books, papers, desks, even trunks,
almost always lying unguardod about
tho premises. Serva-nts and orderlio3
move from honso to house unquestioned,
and tho rear doom aro unfastened day
and night. "Yo havo nothing worth
stealing," ia the general theory, "so why
bother about locking an empty stablo?"
"Who is your servant?" u'ked Ken
yon brufqnely.
"Our black boy, Jnko. Ho hus taken
caro of my roonw and traps for three
yenri', and works for Wallace nnd Mar
tin, too. He's as honest a nigger a3 ever
livod; has been with tho regiment longer
than I have."
"Yes; Jako isn't half a bad boy. But
waa tbero no ono elso who had tho rim
of tho premises?'
"Not a boul. Jako himself is rarely
hero pvnept when at work."
T . was a moment's silence. Thn
major presently sauntered over and tried
tho door leading to the dining room.
"Hero is tho key if you want to go in
thero," said Ilearn. "I havo kept all
tho rootn3 locked since Blauvclt left ex
cept this ono and my bedroom upstairs.
Tho back door is locked, too. Jako al
ways comofi in tho front way. I don't
suppose any ono has como through tho
kitcheu tir.co tbo flay tho captain's fam
ily left."
"Didn't Welsh Miva to como .'iir- for
his traps?" tusked Lano.
"Yes; but ho was under guard at tho
time had a bontinol over him and both
Jako and 1 woro here. Ho took nothing
out of this house but his own personal be
longings, and never entered this room at
;dl that day, I cpujibi'theljo it, but after
peeing him with Schonbcrg today tho
tint explanation of my losa that occur
red to mo a moment ago was Wclslu
Yot how could ho havo been tho man?"
Thero waa another moment of silenco.
Lano stood thoughtfully examining tho
jocj 0f jl0 desk! then strolled into tho
hall and tried tho key of tho front door.
An ho stood thero under tho (twinging
lamp tho clink of an infantry sword was
heard at tho gato and tho voico of Capt
lb-odie.
"What aro you youngsters doing at
this hour of tho peaceful night? Como
ont hero and worship natnro and visit
(entries for mo. Ohl beg your pardon,
Lano; 1 thought it must bo somo of tho
boys."
"Maj. Kcnyon nnd I have been keep-
ing Ilearn awake," was tho answer. I
"Wo are just going."
"Hello, Urodie," quoth tho major, as
ho, too, camo forth. "Havo you been to
boo how Hreut is?"
"Delirious, I'm told. Only tho doctor
and steward aro with him. I was jnst
waiting for 12 o'clock to go down and
stir up tho sentries. Thero ought to bo
nono lint calvalry officers of tho day at
this post, by Jove! eo that they could
rido around among those ontsido sen- I
tries. It's too far for a Christian to
walk twico in twenty-four hours. Thank :
God, there's tho call now." !
At tho iirst words from tho lips of tho
sentry at tho guard house tho lamps at
tho two western gates wore promptly j
extinguished, and then tho forms of two j
men could bo discerned flitting from l
post to post, e.itinguihhing each lamp in
turn. Soon the entire quadrangle was
wrapped in total darkness, and tho silent
stars gleamed all tho moro brilliantly in
tho unclouded cky. Far over to tho
westward tho reflection of tho electrio
lights, a pallid, sickly glaro upon the
heavens, tuddenly faded into nothing- 1
n ess. i
"That's the iirst time tho town clock 1
and ours havo been so close together
since my coining to the garrLion. Vhero 1
did we get this custom of dousing tho ,
glim at midnight?" asked Lain.
"Tho th started that when they
wero here. Got it from town perhaps.
Listen a moment," answered Iirodie. "I
want to hear tho sentries down toward
tho bridge.''
Faint and far. tliomzh homo on l tin !
wings of tho sott night wind, the call of
No. 7 had iusl sonndnd. It. was nouMlm '
turn of tho farthest sentry, No. 8, whoso !
post was down tho winding road at tho i
havstacks and wood vard. A rich, mu- !
sical Irish voico. softened bv distant-,.,
bezan its soldier troll.
"N-umber 8. Tw-el-vo o'clock and
M-.i-nllV Who trno thev? IT..lt! IT.-.H!
Corp'l tho gu-a-ard Number S!" 1
lloarn was tho first of the four officers
to reach tho soutliwent gate. Ho could
hear tho footfalls of the officer of
tho 1
I guard running down tho road past tho
elablos, and without hesitation followed
! full tilt. The guard wjs hurriedly turn
1 ing out and forming. It was tho Rer
' gr ant who fa'-ed it to tho fruiit and
j mado the customary report to Capt.
Urodie, as the oflieer of tho day camo
panting to tho spot:
"air, tho guard is present and tho
I prisoners secuio."
j An audible snicker in tho prison room
I followed tin so words. A corporal filo
closor stopped back into tho guard room
and grufdy oidered tik-nce among tho
prisoners, which only evoked more titter
1 ing and whispering. A sudden thought
( occurred to tho officer of tho day.
'Rring your lantern hero." ho said, as
ho strode through tho guard room into
1 ttie narrow pas-wgo beyond. On one
, bide was the prison room whenco tho
uoio proceeded, on tho other wero tho
I cells.
, "Open these doors," ho ordered.
"Thero s only 0110 cell occupied, sir;
tho third."
"Open that, then."
The heavy door creaked on its hinges.
A gust of cool nierht air blew through
the ell. Tno window was wide open.
'1'ho iron Mats wero sawed away. Tho
bird h.,d r:v..u, no, tt,
wiilant of Corw. Brent, was cone.
CHAPTER VII.
In tho soft, Juno like weather of that
memorable week at Ryan tho ladies
spent but little of their waking moments
indoors, and won tho broad verandas of
tho colonel's quarters on the north 5-ide
wore no moro popular or populous than
theso of Capt. Lano ut tho southwest
comer. Mrs. Lano aud Mis Marshall
attributed this to tho fact that the sun
0:1 its westward way passed behind their
cozy homo and left tho front piazza cool
aud shaded, whereas even tho canvas
hangings in front of the Morrises' conld
not quite shut out tho glaro. But Mrs.
Morrii laughingly declared that since
their coming into tho society of Fort
Ryan she had becomo "a decided back
numlier."
Whether tho theory of tho colonel's
wife was true or not, it must bo said
to her credit that sho accepted tho situ
ation with charming grace, and was
quite as frequent a visitor at tho Lanes'
as many of tho younger women. Her
own guests had departed, leaving hor
somewhat lonely, sho said; and while sho
thought it by no means a proper or con
ventional thing that sho should bo so
constantly visiting people who so seldom
honored hor she could not but have ocular
proof ut all hour3 of tho day that Mrs.
Lano and her fair friend, Mis3 Marshall,
could not sally forth to malm calls except
at tho prico of leaving a number of call -
ers in tho lurch. Thero wero otber voting
ladies in garrison just then Miss Whar
ton visiting her brother and MissMcCrea
staying at tho Buruhams'. There wero
several pretty gills in tho neighboring
t iwn who frequently came out and spent
.1 few days with tho families at tho post,
i.iul all theso of course, us well as tho
young nittrried ladies, wore tho recipients
f much attention on tho part of tho of
ficers, voting and old. It is a fact well
understood in army circles that fow ofii
c -cw aro too old to tender Mich attentions
and no woman too old to receive them,
And Mrs. Lano was rejoicing in tho
i-iioeom of her projects for tho bonudt of
Georgia Marhliall. Her friend wus a
pronounced biiccess from tho day of her
..naval; mid yet it was somewhat ddli-
cnlt to pay why. Sho was not a beauty,
dcsplto hor lovely oyoa; bIio had nono of
thorn fluttorin,'?, soothing, half caroaslng
ways some women nso with such tolling
oifect on almost every man they seek to
impress, tiho wan not chatty. Hho was
anything but confidential. Sho was
rather silent and decidedly reserved,
yot a most attentive listener withal; and
then sho had tho oourago of hor opin
ions. I lor prompt and promiuont part
in tho littlo drama enacted the night of
her arrival had mado her famous in tho
garrison; her frank, unaffected, but gra
cious ways had dono much to make her
popular.
Tho statement that sho was an orphan
1 nnd poor, combined with tho fact, wliich
j the other wointu so speedily determined,
I that sho was not pretty, had removed
her, presumably, from tho rango of
jealousy. Tho other girls found hor
very entertaining, since sho let thorn do
much of tho talking, and wero willing
to accord to her n certain quiet stylo of
her own. Tho men wero glad to bo civil
to any friend of Mr3. Lauo'.s. And yet
Georgia Marshall hud not been thero a
weol: lefore, as Mabel confidently pre
dicted, sho was having in abundance
j totos-a-teto of her own,
It was tho third morning after tho cs
' capo of tho prisoner Goss, und for forty
j eight hoars nothing elso had been talked
1 of among tho soldiers, and nothing had
' excited so much comment among tho
families at tho post. Up to this moment
not a traco had been found. Tho two
iron slats in front of his window had
been cut through swiftly and noiselessly
from within with watch spring saws, und
the tallow nnd iron lihng3 lay about tho
Blony window bill. Ho had been thor
oughly searched beforo being put in that
cell, audit wt'Ji absolutely certain that
neither files nor tallow wero then in his
powsMon. Tho guard sworo that no
man had had accosn to him afterward.
A wiro netting prevented anything from
being thrown to him from tho outside,
and this had boeu forced upward and
outward after tho bars wero cut.
Tho sergeant of tho guard was suro
that no man had touched or oven spoken
to lmu, except whon ho himself had
seii his dinner and supper handed in,
There could havo boeu no collusiou on
tho part of tho sentries, for the men on
No. 1 all through tho day and night
w-'ro of tho infantry, and warm friends
of 13rMit, who would havo lo.-t no chanco
of putting a bullet through tho supposed
assailant in tho event of his attempting
to escape. Tho blacksmith said it would
take several hours at least five to filo
through those two bars, aud tho man
must havo worked with tho patienco of
a beaver. It was a drop of only seven
feet to tho ground without, for tho win
dow overlooked the uphill slopo back of
the guard house; and yet, us ho proba-
Idy had to como through hod first, that
was quite a fall. Tho prints of hts out
spread hands wero lound in the dust
hoaj), and it looked n.i though ho must
havo lain thero soino moments lioforo
stealing away.
Tho m utry far down by tho wood
yards, No. stated that just as he was
calling off and standing faced to tho
cast sj that his voice might carry to the
guard house, he heard a sudden btumblo
' behind him; a man tripped over a log
j between him and the road, then ran like
! mad down toward the old station. It
: was too dark to recognize who it could
1 be. Tho officer of tho guard had stopped
, to interrogate tho sentry on reaching
his pu.--t. but Mr. Ilearn had pushed
ahead, and down at tho foot of tho hill
bad plainly heurd a horse's hoofs and
1 the light rumblo of wheels crossing tho
' bridge and going at a spanking trot:
ytt soldiers returning from pass, reha
I bio men, hud neither seen nor heard
1 horse or wagon anywhi.ro on the flats
I along which lay tho road to town. An
: effort had been mado to trail the wheel
I trucks from tho bridge, but, though a
I place was found among tho trees near
the old station whero a horso and buggy
had evidently stood for two or jlirse
I hours, it was impossible to determine
t which way they had gono after crossing
tno stream, lor tuo tarm wagons com
ing from every by road in tho morning
had totally obliterated tho tracks.
Ucii,' escape wliilo under charges of
such gravo character was regarded us
tantamount to admii.-ion of his guilt.
Meanwhile Corp. Brent's ease seemed
to havo taken a tnni for tho better, aud,
though thero was still danger, there was
I h.ope. What struck many inquirers was
I the fact that the doctor seemed ill at
eae, and invariably evaded the ques
I tiou, when prttsed us to tho nature of
; Brent's delirium. This, of course, sim
ply borved to whet public curiadty; and
tho young soldier became, all uncon
sciously, au object of greater interest
than ever. Tho ladies of the infantry,
who had known him by right somo time,
wero certain that from tho very first ho
hud borne all tho outward appearance of
a gentleman, and in overy word and
gesture laid "given tho world assurance
of a man" of birth and breeding. Their
sisters of tho cavalry, w-ho had but re
cently reached Fort Ryan, woro not slow
in accepting their theories.
Such thiugs wero by no means un
common in tho service; and wouldn't it
ho delicious, now, to havo a romance in
tho ranks ut Ryan? Only fancy, Mrs.
Burnham, Mrs. Brodio, and, above all,
Mrs. Graves, wero quite ready to goto
the hospital at uny timo tho doctor would
permit and become tho nurso of tho
young corporal; but tho medical man
I almost bluntly declined tho services of
two of. theso hidies, and with positive
insolence, said tho third, had fold her
bho could much better devote hor minis
trations to her own children. "Just as
if I didn't know beet what my children
needed!" said the otlendcd matron.
And it was about Dr. Ingorsoll that
Mrs. Graves was discoursing this very
morning on Mrs. Lane's piazza, while
her own olivo launches wero clambering
the fences and having a battle royal
with tho progeny of Mrs. Sergt. Flynn
ut the other end of tho garrison. And,
as luck would havo it, who should como
along the gravel walk but thu major
and tho doctor, arm in arm, ut which
tight Miss Marshall's expressive eyes,
brimming with merriinont, sought tho
haif vexed features of Capt. Lane, who
had been fidgeting uneasily in his chair
during her ladyship s exordium. Liko
many another excellent soldier, this
practised trooper had no weapon with
which to silenco a woman's tongue.
"You'll find I'm right, Mrs. Lane.
Seo if you don't," proceeded Mrs. Graves,
all unconscious of tho coming pair.
"You found I wasn't mistaken about
Maj. Konyon; and they are just as liko
as two peas in a pod both of them."
Then, recallod to tho possibilities of
tho situation by tho mirthful gloam in
Miss Marshall's eyo and the audible
ckucklc3 of Air. Loo, bho whirled about
nnd caught sight of tho object of her
dissertation.
"Oh, it's you they'ro laughing ut, is
itT she hailed. "I was just talking
about you."
"Then how could you find the heart
to laugh, Mrs. Lane?" said tho major,
raising his cap with bimulated reproach
of mien. "Dees it amuso you to seo
fellow mortals flayed nlivc? li it not
bad enough that, liko Sir Peter Teazle, 1
nm never out of Mrs, Gravos' sight but
that I know 1'vo left my character be
hind me? Tho doctor and 1 wero won
dering whether thero was ft vestigo lelt
of tho good impression wo strove to
mako upon Miss Slnxbhall."
"I'm suro you ruined all possibility of
that three days ago, major, when you
showed her what a cynical old party
you were. No wonder tho young officers
in our regiment lose all love for their
profession after hearing you talk. If I
were Col. Morris I wouldn't havo you
contaminating tho lieutenants of tho
Eleventh tho way you wero trying it on
Mr. Heurn tho other day."
"Whero is Mr. Ilearn, by tho way?"
nsked Mrs. Lane, eager to put an Snd to
such an unprofitable controversy. "Ha
hani't been iu hero for nearly two days.
CViiue, major come, doctor, walk in and
sit awhile. Wo want to hear how Corp.
Brent is, too."
"Brent seems easier, Mrs. Lane, thank
you," answered tho surgeon. "1 cannot
stop just now; wo camo over to meet t lie
mail, for tho orderly soems to have an
unusually big load this morning. Hero
como tho youngsters up from tho post
offico now."
Aud as ho t-poko perhaps half a dozen
young cavalrymen, btill in their riding
boots and spins, us though they had hut
just returned from drill, came slowly up
tho slop'1. Wlmrtou had an opun news
paper which he was reading aloud: tho
others were hanging about him, evident
ly listeniug with absorbed attention, to
tho neglect of their own letters.
"What's tho matter with tho boys?"
asked Kcnyon, whimsically, as they ap
proached. "They look as boleian us
owls."
Naturally all eyes wero drawn toward
tho coming party. Lane, bending for
ward, saw that Ileum's faco was pale,
even under the coat of tan aud sunburn.
Ho would havo pavced them by, simply
lifting his cap, as Wharton half folded
tho paper when thegroup filedin through
tho main gate, but again Kenyon spoke:
"What makes you look no liko a pack
of mutes, ladi? What's gono wrong? Is
congress sailing into us again?"
"Maj. Kenyan," said Martin, deliber
ately, halting iu front of tho gate. "1
said some disparaging thincs about your
remarks here tho other day. 1 beg your
pardon, sir. You woro light; I was
wrong. Hold on, Ilearn; don't go now
and brood over this thing. Stay hero
with the crowd, and we II take it all to
gether." Laue had half risen, anxiety deepen
ing in his dark gray eyes:
"What i.i it, II-aru? Como in here,
come in. all of you."
And Georgia Marshall, glancing from
ono fuco to another, noted tho tilenco
and gravity that had fallen on ouch,
yomo looked full of snrpprcssed wrath,
others simply perplexed nnd annoyed.
Without a word to any ono Henrn
stepped in nnd stood beside her chair.
"You best know your own papers,
major; you lead this aloud," said Martin.
And Konyon, looking about in wo
men tan burprise, unfolded tho groat
I agos of tho Chicago daily. 11 is eyes
I gleamed as they caught tho heavy head
i linoM ut the top of tho sheet.
"Hello! hello! what's thi?" he said.
'Army Brutality. Outrageous Treat
I ment of Private Soldir'y. Civilians In
i suited mid Abused. A '1 hug in Shoulder
, btraps. Lieut. Ileum a Cowardly Bully.
I Special Dispatch to Tho Palladium,
j Central City, May 8. For years past tho
, citizens of this thriving lrcnti'T town
I have had frequent ouuo for complaint
j as to tho swaggering and insolent bearing
of tho officers of tho army stationed
at the neighboring pcUof Fort Ryan;
but of late tho feeling has reached fever
heat, duo to recent occurrences whioh
attracted widespread atteutiou. Acting
under instructions, your corrBspondent
reached this city fivo days ago, and has
mado a thorough, impartial, und ex
haustive investigation into tho matter;
has talked with many, if not all, of tho
prominent citizens; has personally
viritod the post and convorsod with a
number of intelligent enliFtod men; aud,
as a result of his painstaking observa
tions, ho is enabled to send you tho fol
lowing account, for tho absolute accu
racy of every detail of which ho vouches
unreservedly.
"to fur us tho enlisted men are con
corned, tho people have no complaint to
make. It is, indeed, the contemplation
of their wrongs und sufferings that has
roused tho popular clamor ugainst their
aristocratic aud overbearing taskmasters.
Just why it is that tho instant a young
man escapes from the hotbed of flunkey
i.sm nnd snobbery, Vst Point, and dons
tho btraps of a fccoiul Heutenaut, he
shonld imugino that ho owns the earth
and that the nations bhould bow down to
him, is something no intelligent mind
can understand. But to becomo con
vinced tluit it is so beyond poradventure,
ouo ha.s only to visit this repru-sentativo
army post, garrisoned as it is by largo
detachments of so called distinguished
regiments; though, from all accounts,
tho distinction they havo earned seems
chiefly to bo connected with drinking
bonUs and gainbliug tables.
"On every sido it was declared to your
correspondent that civilians who ven
tured out to the fort wero treated with
contumely nnd insult; that th'- r "er
rudely ordered them off the i. . i.un
and forbade them toi'Uler Hie . 1 1 prr
cinets of the barracks, ard e u . tu I
their ejection from the pnhhc ' 1 t
faloou, kept ut t'.i post by t -, ,,
who truckle1;, of none, to li ,
neighbors a-i 1 o!,' , la r- 1 1
mandate that t1 :,!,!, m m - .-nid
their money v. ,t'i 1 at 1 - n 1 '
prices nnd the pp. 1 i-,- ,1 a--raiu r t r
having any dealm . a tho r- ,iut,ibH
merchants in tie- . (Jo (i. - rf, r
hand, tho merchant . Lav- U
unfortunate as to tru t t 10 r.L'ii rs aro
not able to collect tie ir I U at a I, and
aro absolutely forbid ! n t ei,'i rt .1 1 jr.
rwon when thoy swk t-, ,,i -,lli,;r,j, r
"Ilere is tho brief I , . -y r-f 1, 1 in
experience. Incomj : ;. wiihri -rf o
oldest, wealthiest tod no t r , I
business men of tin 1 ff'ion your c r
respondent drovo to 1 , rt Pv ,1 ti. 3
morning to see for h'-ir-Of how f .r f
facts would justify the ,dl'git i , an t
if a lingering doubt r-"'i uii' d .t w,a fit
onco nnd forever r..d- dur'-.l- 1 .
ea.so of particular 1. ir: lop lial oft
brought to our ntten' und we dr 'r -d
to see Trooper Welsh inrTrv. llf w
on sick report, oxoo I fr-u-i t i It'
reason of tho treatru'it that " id
iiccorded him by tho r . maud ii-;f. 1, tr
of his troop, or wo pr -oablv r 1M r f
havo seen him ut all. .Suiting a m n- at
when the efder r ; were aw ay ul 'b 1 .1 Mr
H. sent a mcssago asking tho y,iu.,ra!
dier to como out.
"A fino looking, intellu-f ;,t man of
about 'Si years was present t, a
correspondent, anel briefly u 1 ' 4.
told hia story. It was 01.'-: it 1
an American's blood boil 1 . , ,
note "tho emotion nnd it
seemed to causo him. ' t
excellent family in the e"-' , 1 . '
long desired from patriotic 1 t
become a soldier of the fV; , 1 1
against their wishes enlist"! v r
assumed name. From the v rf a
captain had compelled him to v , , ,
hia house liko a common d . 1
had to black boots, build f.r- -
kitchen, actually do ebon - i .
tain's cook. Iu vain ho b, :
lowed to join his troop o i ! .
duty as a soldier; ho was : '
It made hia own comrml- -, :.'
soldiers look down upon Inn, .
ho could find timo t visit; .
barracks tho sergeants ubu. t i
a thief. But tho man who .
hounded him was bocond L , ,
a young martinet fresh fro;. 1 ,
who never lost a chance cf 1 .
for errors on drill or mistal. 1 :
ward.
"The captain had tau'r f 1
when at work for him bo -j-u ' 1
it to jump up and salute e . . t
unt who happened along; ; 1
cause ho remained seated .r 1 1 v
when Lieut. Hearu passed 1 ,
cursed him liko a elog, hr 1 1 '
into a filthy dungeon, and t
until ho was tried by cotr-t . l 1
sentenced by a gang of xi -
I rades to line and imprisonm 11 . r e
I ing his captuiu's orders. A'.j.- r
I when ho was cleaning i .0 .
horse, tbi lieutenant's bjr-'-. v
next him on tho lino, kept I
him, treading on him, and V
brushes out of his band, and 1
! simply pushed Lint bat .: ;
snarply Lieut. Ileum 11- . ,
swi-re he hael a mind to 1 .
and blue. 'If be haJ,' ki; i ', .'
tho young soldier's eyes I ' i
pent, up ftelin't 'I could n ;
c mtrollcd myself. I would L .
him down and appealed t 1
America to uphold mo.' i
was again turu.st into the v .
ed dungeon, and this m; ' '
that tho surgeon himself 1... i 1
polled to interpose in hi , 1
would desert and nnd it uM ' -
poor fellow, with tears in hi-,
I havo sworu to serve inv rou
shall keep my oath.' Wl.
Tho Palladium would sc. -1. 1
though ttie heavens fell, h 1
! something that would h.i, . t
1 stontest heart.
"l'-ut now comes tho ciowi' i,
j bhu-kirTiardism. Warned 1 -I
doubil. -.-,, of the fact t'r.;' ! 1
1 was telling his story to cin
I Henrn suddenly appeared ;i t
j aud beforo our eyes, with vu'
I and tyrannical bearing, ordir- 11-, i
j Welsh instantly to leave. 1 1 v.
young soldier rojq.eetfully r" ' t t
lie had a right to speak wii 'u'.i-i
! camo to soo him. In v;.ri b: .'
, out that he was on no duty at Ti
I vain Mr. S. interposed in b r. i
tico aud decency. Tho 1 r 1
I seized tho weakened invalid r
1 grasp, dragged him like a .:
gutter in front and then, wi 1 , ,
, cur.-es, drovo him beforo I 1
j guard house. Meantime M - ,
j had formerly many trionds ;.
1 hastened into tho oiueor's e... '
, hoping to explain the matter ... ro
j justice lor the unfortunate :" ' , v Lot
, it was n hapless move. Whit 1 in j
hud he, a civilian, to intruuo ut. o 1
into the mighty presence of haif a z n
beardless young satraps in s
straps? Ho was rudely orderel t 1- ,-.
tho premises; and when, in Lis il.u t v
tion, ho protested ngunst er.i .1 nr k
ment, Lieut. Heara liimsdf cim- l-uk
boiling with rage, culling for i.- tru p
era to como and. eject thso p ; ,i I m
I trom the garrison. We wera u- tn.i
j driven by force off the roservai: 1.
j "Your correspondent has, c f ccurso
I mode immediate and respeotiil r, rrr-
seutation of these facts ta tl; ee-rd
, commanding the department, an t ie 1
1 next he visits tho fort will do hJi 1 iv
safeguard that 110 bully m tho 1 rri
of a second lieutenant will da: i,usav
This is but tho prelude of tu- r 1.
tuils still more disgraceful to t:. 1 sm
peiml minions of a too longsil nig
public."
For a few moments there was s 1 ioi
Then the major glanced around!. is inlo
of listeners.
"Well, Ilearn." said he, as ho fo li
the paper, "somewhere I lme 1i,m 1 fie
expiesniou 'Didn't I tell yo.i s, :' ! ' ,)
et decorum et pro iwtria mon 1 I .1 1
wonder you lovo your protVcuon '
'Surely they cannot U1ilo i.i h au